In 2017, my young son was diagnosed with a rare brain tumor. My world was flipped upside down in an instant. Any family that has faced a difficult diagnosis knows this all too well.

A child’s illness may be an extreme example, but all parents could benefit from the tools of self-care. Parenting can be hard. Babies don’t come with instructions. As parents, we learn very quickly to adapt and figure out what to do. How to take comfort a screaming baby, how to take care of a toddler having a tantrum, how to show up for your child in the hospital. Sometimes we become very good at taking care of others and not so great at taking care of ourselves.

When we do not take care of ourselves, we can struggle, physically, mentally, emotionally.
When faced with stress and challenges, our nervous system gets overloaded, and we can become tired, irritable, or anxious. We can get physically sick ourselves or feel depressed.

 Self-care offers tools to help. Self-care helps fortify yourself, so you can deal with what is in front of you with strength and grace. In a situation, like illness, where much is beyond your control, if you take care of yourself, you will be better prepared to face what life presents.